Unintended
by KawaiixCherryxBlossom
Summary: After a difficult breakup with Ash, Misty is left brokenhearted and lost. As she catches a flight back to Kanto, the last person she expected to pick up the pieces was annoying, conceited Gary Oak. Egoshipping.


**Unintended**

_By Kawaii Cherry Blossom

* * *

_

Misty Waterflower let out a small sigh as she buckled her seatbelt, glancing around the Business Class section where she sat on the airplane bound for Viridian City. Aside from the one beside her, every seat was taken. She fidgeted, bored, wishing the plane would just take off already. She didn't particularly like flying, she was instead more comfortable floating on the ocean, but the boat ride from Lily of the Valley Island was a week long, and she wanted to get back to Kanto, and her home at the Cerulean City Gym as soon as she could.

"We are sorry for the delay, passengers, but we are waiting on one more person to enter the aircraft before we take off," a voice projected over the speaker system. Misty rolled her eyes in annoyance.

'_Great', _she thought_, 'Some snobby idiot thinks they've got the right to hold up an entire plane full of people'._

Growing more and more impatient, Misty took out the airline magazine that sat in the seat pocket in front of her and flipped through it idly, looking at the pages of advertisements and articles but not really seeing them. Her mind was elsewhere, reflecting on the painful events of the past few days. Trying to think of anything but her break-up with Ash Ketchum, her now ex-boyfriend of four years, was futile. Her mind was exhausted from the stress it had been put under, and her heart ached from the sudden emptiness it held. Four years was a long time to spend in a relationship with someone, and now that he was suddenly gone, she felt strange, different. Since she was a child, her life had revolved around him, and now, all of a sudden, he was no longer part of it. It was a strange reality for her to face, and one that she was sure would take time to get used to.

Right now, she just wanted to be home, back at the Gym where she could think things through. Misty glanced around the plane once more, but there was still no sign of the elusive last passenger. The Business Class section was small, only consisting of ten seats in sets of two, and it was sectioned off from the other two classes with a blue curtain. A flight attendant, a tall woman with blonde hair teased up into a high ponytail and makeup done flawlessly, stood in the aisle, checking her watch. Misty was next to the window, for which she was glad. It was easy for her to be recognised as the Pokemon Master's girlfriend – well, now ex-girlfriend. Already a few people had stared at her or whispered to their friends, or both. She had never enjoyed that kind of attention, though she was used to it by now. Today, though, she didn't particularly feel like talking to a bunch of strangers about how amazing Ash was, and all that. Ash was to announce the news of their breakup to the media tomorrow. Tonight, for all they knew, she was still the happiest, most lucky girl in the world. That couldn't be farther from the truth.

Misty's patience was wearing thinner and thinner. It was bad enough that the flight was seven hours long, but it was now being made even longer by one stupid person who couldn't even get to the airport on time. With a huff of irritation, she preceded to flip through the boring magazine. She wished she had brought a book with her, at least then she could get lost in the pages of a story that had nothing to do with her own. As she was glancing over an article about Australia, a place she had always wanted to visit because of its beautiful and appealing beaches, a hush fell over the plane, and a figure appeared next to her, opening the overhead luggage compartment. Misty risked a look at the arrogant moron who had decided to hold her up, and she met his eyes just as he snapped the compartment shut.

Her eyes widened. His eyes widened.

'_I don't believe it_,' she thought as she eyed him suspiciously.

"Misty Waterflower," he spoke smoothly with an air of confidence, or as Misty liked to call it, arrogance.

"Gary Oak," she muttered, cursing her bad luck. Of all the millions of people in the world, she had to share the next seven hours with _Gary Oak_?

'_Why does the world hate me today?'_

He took the seat beside hers and quickly snapped his seatbelt in place. Though the very sight of him made her anger levels rise, she couldn't help but notice him. Gary was, after all, _extremely_ handsome. He was dressed in black cargo pants and a black shirt, sleeves rolled up and exposing his tanned arms. Misty fought not to notice the taut muscles that could be seen through the thin shirt. His face was so perfect, it was as though it had been sculpted by an artist, with skin free of any impurities and chiseled features that gave him a boyish, yet mature appearance. His mahogany hair was styled in high spikes, and his eyes were the beautiful colour of the deep forest, a green so dark it was almost brown. Long eyelashes framed them, eyelashes most ladies would be envious of. Yes, Gary had most certainly been blessed in the looks department. But it didn't make him any less of a tool.

The flight attendants were busily preparing the plane for take-off.

'_Finally_,' Misty thought as she diverted her gaze away from Gary.

"So how are ya, Red?" he asked, and she fumed inwardly at the annoying nickname he had developed for her years ago.

"Fine," she replied, continuing to flip through the magazine.

"Been to see Ashy-boy?" he asked suggestively, and though she tried to hide it, he noticed when she flinched.

"…Yes," she replied simply, her throat tightening as her thoughts once again trailed back to Ash.

He fell silent, sensing that something wasn't right with her, but also that she looked so closed off that she most likely wasn't going to tell him.

"What's happening with you?" she asked, only looking mildly interested. The truth was, she wasn't interested at all in what Gary Oak was up to, which model or actress he was dating this week, or anything to do with him really. And she really wasn't in the mood to pretend to care.

"I'm headed home to see Gramps. I've been doing some field work in Sinnoh and I want to go through my findings in the lab."

"Oh," she replied, placing the book back in the seat pocket in front of her. She thought about taunting him about why he was late for the flight, but she really couldn't be bothered listening to his excuses. The same voice from before told them to prepare for take-off, and the plane started to move forwards. It couldn't go quickly enough for Misty; the faster it went, the less time she would have to sit next to Gary.

An awkward silence fell between them as the plane gained speed, before lifting into the air. Misty glanced out of the window at the Island below, now shadowed in the increasing darkness as the sun disappeared over the horizon. She doubted whether she would ever visit this place again. She was saying goodbye to a lot of things today.

Gary glanced over at Misty, his brow creasing as he watched her stare out of the window. He didn't know Misty that well, he only knew her through Ash, and had spent little time with her, without Ash being there. The truth was, he was envious of Ash for a lot of things over the years, but most of all he was envious of his ability to make so many great friends, especially Misty. There was no doubt she had helped him get to where he was now in a big way. Gary, on the other hand, always did things alone. He didn't have many close friends, and he didn't mind that, but loneliness got a little tiresome sometimes…

Gary had given Misty the nickname 'Red' when they were at the Pokemon League, watching Ash win his way through every round, and it had stuck. She hated it, and he loved that, because she was fun to tease, and she looked cute when she was mad. He chuckled to himself at the thought.

"What's so funny?" she turned, one eyebrow raised. The plane was now safely in the air and climbing. The sound of babies whimpering drifted from the Economy section.

"Just thinking about when I came up with your nickname. It still suits you."

Misty rolled her eyes in sarcasm. "Whatever."

"Are you always this annoyed at everything?" he asked her.

"Are you always this _annoying_?" she retorted.

He laughed inwardly at her attitude, she sure made it obvious when she didn't like you. It only edged Gary on further.

Misty pulled her iPod out of her handbag and put her headphones into her ears. Music ought to drown out the sound of Gary's pestering questions. She flipped it on and the sweet sound of her favourite band greeted her ears.

She was infuriated when he leaned over her to look at what she was listening to.

"Muse?" he asked. "How…depressing."

"They're not _depressing_," she gritted her teeth, turning the volume up to block him out further.

"Sure," he grinned and turned away from her. Though he was having fun picking on her, he continued to sense the uneasiness in the way she was acting. She was tense, uncomfortable and seemingly distressed about _something_. Had she had a fight with Ash?

* * *

The rustling of the food cart could be heard, and ten minutes of listening to angry rock music blasting out of Misty's headphones later, the flight attendants appeared with the cart at the beginning of the aisle.

The smell of food wafted through the plane. Misty suddenly realised how hungry she was. She hadn't eaten since that morning, with everything that had happened the last thing she had felt like was food. Now, her stomach growled. She turned her iPod off as the attendant approached her and Gary. The young blonde woman handed them their meals and Misty ate furiously.

"Geez, I'm amazed you stay so skinny if you eat like that all the time," Gary commented.

"Do you have to comment on everything I do?"

"No offense, but it's kind of fun."

"Well, I'm glad that I'm here for your amusement."

"Are you always this mad?"

"Are you always this chatty?"

"Do you ever _not_ answer a question with a question?"

"Do you ever _not _talk?"

As Misty was growing angrier, Gary was continuing to laugh and joke with her. He was taking great pleasure in her discomfort and irritation, and she was growing tired of this game.

Soon, the attendant returned to collect their trays. Misty settled back into her seat and put her headphones back on, while Gary pulled out a heavy-looking scientific book. He winked at her annoyingly and opened the book to a page filled with a lot of big words and a few small pictures. Misty was just about to press 'play' on her iPod again, when a high-pitched female voice could be heard.

"Ohmygosh!" Misty looked up to find a blonde girl of about fifteen, with brown eyes that sparkled as she gazed at both her and Gary in astonishment.

"I can't believe it!" she went on, as Gary flashed a smile at the girl, making her squeal even more.

"You're Misty Waterflower! Ash Ketchum's girlfriend, right? You are _so_ lucky! He is like, the hottest guy on the planet…aside from you, of course," she looked to Gary and gave a flirtatious laugh. Misty painted a fake smile on her face while she wanted to retch at the girl's disgusting enthusiasm, and the fact that Gary was loving every minute of it.

"My friends won't believe me when I tell them I met both of you!" she squealed again. Her voice was starting to get on Misty's nerves.

"Well, how about if I give you this," Gary reached into his bag and pulled out a piece of paper and a pen, signed his name and handed it to her. "Now they'll believe you."

Misty glanced away in disinterest as the girl continued to squawk on about how amazing Gary was. Whatever, as long as she stopped raving about Ash. The constant female attention Ash received as soon as he had become Pokemon Master was never easy for Misty to deal with. Though Ash had matured significantly, he was still clueless when it came to the opposite sex and he never recognised girls flirting with him as girls flirting with him. She had even had a few fights with him about it. It seemed Gary had no problem recognising it, though. In fact, he seemed to revel in it.

"Gee, the girls just _love_ you," Misty said after the girl had finally gone back to her seat. Sarcasm dripped from her tone.

"What's not to love?"

"_Please_," she spat.

"C'mon, Red, you have to please the fans."

"Stop calling me that," she rolled her eyes at him.

"So anyway, _Red_," he put extra emphasis on the name, "Ashy-boy has been Master for two years now – how is he going?"

"He's…busy," she admitted hesitantly, wishing he would stop bringing Ash up.

"He's made a lot of great changes to the League. I think it's running more smoothly now."

"Yeah…"

Misty was too tired to cover up all of the emotion that was overwhelming her. In the confined space of the plane, she felt cramped, especially with everything bottled up inside of her. Gary's frequent questioning didn't help either. He turned to look at her then, and the intensity in his eyes caught her off-guard. Green eyes burned into hers, and she felt like he could see straight through her.

"What's going on, Red?" he asked, not taking his eyes from hers. She shook her head stubbornly. She was _not_ going to reveal the cause of her troubles to Gary Oak. He would probably laugh at her.

"_Nothing_," she crossed her arms in her seat, glancing away from him. "I'm just _tired_. I'm going to sleep," she leaned her head against the headrest. It seemed sleep was the best way to escape. It had only been an hour, so there were six more to go, and Gary was already starting to notice that there was something going on with her. As she closed her eyes, he shrugged and turned back to his book.

One thing that Gary had gotten good at was reading people, and Misty's attitude seemed to turn colder whenever Ash was mentioned. He glanced at her; even with her eyes closed she didn't look peaceful. Her brow was creased ever so slightly, and the dark shadow under her eyes told him she had not been sleeping much. But still, even asleep, and even tired and angry, to Gary, Misty was…well, beautiful. He had always thought that, but he never took much notice of her because she always belonged to Ash. Now, as she was sitting beside him, he couldn't help but notice her soft, porcelain-like skin, cheeks slightly flushed, and the way her long red hair framed her face perfectly, tied back in a messy ponytail. She wore a dark green t-shirt and black skinny-jeans that hugged her small figure. She was a mess, but she was still beautiful. And though he liked to annoy her, he had to admit that he also hated to see her sad.

Gary shook his head confusedly, wondering where all these sudden feelings had come from. It must be the altitude, he decided as he turned back to his book. But even with the scientific words, that normally drew him in, in front of him, he couldn't take his mind off of her.

* * *

Two hours passed and Misty still slept silently beside Gary. Eventually, she must have entered a deeper sleep because her head drifted from the headrest and fell gently onto his shoulder. He was startled by her sudden touch, but soon settled down, so as not to wake her, and she stayed there on his shoulder for the next hour and a half.

Waking from a sleep full of restless dreams, Misty kept her eyes shut for a few moments. She felt comfortable, safe, like she always felt in Ash's arms… Wait… She was on a plane… She was _way_ too comfortable to be on the plane's armrest. Oh, no… Misty opened her eyes slowly, resisting the urge to freak out when she discovered she had been asleep on Gary Oak's shoulder.

"Oh God!" she leapt up, feeling her cheeks flush instantly. She sat back in her chair, shocked and embarrassed as Gary chuckled at her.

"Don't stress, Red. You looked like you needed the sleep, and I didn't want to wake you."

Misty was so stunned, she couldn't speak, not only because of the fact that she had been _asleep on Gary Oak's shoulder_, but also because it had felt…strangely comfortable, comforting…

'_No_,' she argued with herself, '_I'm half-asleep, I don't know what is going on.' _

"Whatever," she brushed it off with her normal tone of sarcasm.

Gary grinned, her face was still flushed so red, almost a red as a tomato berry.

"How long until we land?" she changed the subject, still not meeting his eyes as she felt the burn in her cheeks.

"About three hours," she groaned.

"You should consider yourself lucky," he smirked, "getting to spend all this time with yours truly."

"Give me a bucket," Misty glared at him.

"C'mon, Red, it was a joke. Just trying to make you laugh. All you do is frown. You're gonna get wrinkles."

Misty paused. Through his joking he seemed almost…sincere. She sighed. Her stony front was proving an unsuccessful façade.

"What? No comeback this time?" he pressed, that same _annoying_ smirk present on his face.

"Ugh, Gary Oak, you are the most annoying person I have ever met!" she yelled a little too loudly, and a few people turned to look at her. Gary only laughed, infuriating her more.

"Calm down, Red. You're scaring the other passengers."

Misty crossed her arms with a huff. She knew she was acting like a child, but she didn't care. If Gary Oak thought he was going to get the better of her, he had another thing coming. He wasn't going to make her look like a fool. Silence fell between them, but Misty could feel his eyes on her as she sat staring ahead stubbornly.

"So, are you going to tell me what's wrong yet?" he said so quietly that it was almost a whisper.

"_You_ are what's wrong right now," she spat.

"Give me a break, Red. Did you and Ashy-boy have a fight?"

"It's _none_ of your business," Misty argued, but the spark within her was dying quickly. She was exhausted, too exhausted to keep this arguing up much longer. All she had wanted to do since Ash left her at the airport was crawl into her bed and not come out. Unfortunately, her bed was still hours away, and she didn't think she could hold this wall up much longer. Misty was always good at hiding things, at pretending to be strong, at keeping it all inside, but not this time. It was too much. A four-year relationship dissolved into nothing but a bunch of memories was too much.

Gary noticed the change in her, the way her posture had drooped, tightly crossed arms had unraveled and her grimace had fallen into a sad frown. He was slightly taken aback at this quick change.

"Red?" he pressed, seriously concerned now.

"…Ash and I broke up, ok?" she said quietly after an uncomfortable pause. "Are you happy now?" she turned to face him, eyes blazing with tears. She turned away and wiped them away quickly, as though she were angry with herself for crying. He felt his heart give way.

"Why…?" he asked warily.

"Long distance… He moves around every few months, and I have to stay in Cerulean. We barely see each other, or even talk on the phone. We…can't have a relationship like that."

"That's tough…"

"Yeah," she wiped her eyes again, still not meeting his gaze. If she had, she would have noticed how much compassion and care was burning within his eyes.

Something seemed to take over him then, his heart, perhaps, as he moved his hand to place it on her shoulder. She was shocked by his touch, but accepted his hand, strangely gentle on her tensed shoulder.

"Don't get angry at me for saying this, Misty, but if I'm being honest, I think you deserve better than someone who thinks their job is more important than their girlfriend. I mean, I know Ash has one of the most important jobs in the world, but still…you've gotta look at what's most important in the long run."

Misty took in his words. She knew he was right. She had known it for a long time. Ash was an amazing person with a heart of gold, but Pokemon had always been the most important thing in his life, and who was she to ask him to change that? She couldn't leave the Gym she now led, so why should he be willing to change his job for her? They were simply on different paths, now and probably forever.

"Th-thanks," she finally uttered, wiping the rest of her tears away. "I know. It just wasn't meant to be."

He took his hand away from her shoulder, and she instantly felt the coldness that replaced it. She could not have predicted that she would be revealing this news to Gary Oak, but she had to admit that she felt better that it wasn't all inside her, that she'd had the chance to talk about it to someone.

"Besides, Red, I'll bet there are guys lining up to date _you_."

Misty peered at him, considering the comment and wondering what he meant by it.

"Maybe…" she replied. "Not as many as are lining up to date _you_ though, or so I hear."

"Yeah, well, you can't believe everything you hear."

"So it's all a lie?"

"Not all of it…" he admitted. "But to be honest, I've never been interested in any of those girls. "I would rather be known for my research than for what girl I'm dating. But that's all the stupid reporters care about. Plus, they only want one thing."

Misty raised an eyebrow.

"Money," he said with a smirk. She let out a small chuckle.

"See, there ya go, I made you laugh."

Misty let a small smile grace her tired features. She didn't know what had made Gary suddenly change personalities and made him _nice_, but she was enjoying this compassionate side of him, and she began to think that perhaps the Gary she knew was just a front for a misunderstood, actually kindhearted person that hid behind the spoiled rich kid bachelor he was portrayed as. Maybe nobody had taken the time to get to know the real Gary. Maybe nobody had given him a chance.

The next few hours passed slowly, but Misty found herself feeling a lot more comfortable now that Gary knew about her and Ash. She felt like a weight had been lifted from her shoulders, not only the weight she had carried during the end of her relationship with Ash, but also the heaviness she felt carrying the secret of their breakup with her. Now she didn't have to pretend, or utter his name like she was the happiest girl in the world. Not around Gary anyway. She chatted to him about his research. He truly did love Pokemon, and he was amazing at what he did. It shone through the way he talked about his work, and the way his eyes lit up at the mention of what he was researching. She got the feeling he could talk about it for hours on end, and so she was content to sit back and listen to him. He had a soothing sort of voice that she found strangely calming and nice to listen to. She wondered whether he would become a professor like his grandfather, or would he just be content to keep living his life of fame and fortune that seemed to be so unfulfilling to him? Then she wondered why she was wondering about Gary Oak's future at all.

* * *

The plane landed at 12:30 am, Viridian City's time. Misty was both physically and mentally exhausted, and struggling to stay awake as they waited to disembark. Gary, on the other hand, was perfectly awake – he told her it was the amount of coffee he drank.

"Red, how are you planning on getting to Cerulean?" Gary asked her as they waited for their luggage in the Terminal.

"Walk," she replied, the cool air that had greeted her when getting off of the plane had woken her up a little.

"Walk? By yourself?" he asked, slightly shocked that Ash hadn't organised a way for her to get home. Then again, she had probably been too stubborn to accept his help. "Why didn't you just catch a flight to Cerulean?"

"This was the only flight left," she replied. "And I'll be fine. I've done it before."

Gary shook his head, "Don't be silly, I'll have my chauffer drive you there."

"I told you I'll be fine," Misty argued. "I can take care of myself."

"I'm sure you can, Red, but why do you want to?"

Misty stammered, trying to answer his question. Her face turned red at her inability to come up with a comeback.

"Just mind your own business!" she spat, grabbing her bag and walking towards the main doors of the Viridian Airport.

"_Why_ are you so stubborn?" he pressed following after her. "Why can't you accept anybody's help?"

"Because I don't need help!" they were almost outside now, and he was right on her heel as she stalked away from him.

"It's not safe to go out there in the middle of the night!" she ignored him.

"_Misty!"_ he called, stopping in the hope that she would follow suit. After a few metres, she did, knowing he was right. She turned with a small sigh, at which he smiled.

"'Bout time you decided I was right."

"One condition," her voice was small and her eyes tired against the dull moonlight.

"…Sure."

"No chauffer," she said slowly. "I'm tired of being driven around everywhere… Can't we just drive?"

Misty's very small request was taken in slowly by Gary, who seemed to contemplate it. His features relaxed as he nodded in understanding.

"Fine. No chauffer."

They walked to the rank, where a friendly looking man of about sixty years old, with grey hair and kind brown eyes met them. Misty narrowed her eyes at the sexy looking red sports car that he stood beside.

"Bob, you've got the night off," Gary said to him, handing him a wad of cash. "Sorry to make you come out at this hour for nothing."

"It's alright, Master Oak. Are you sure?"

"Yes, we'll be fine," Bob seemed to peer over at Misty, and then looked back at Gary with a knowing in his eyes. Frowning, Misty ignored him. She felt sort of uncomfortable sharing a ride alone with Gary Oak. But she figured it was better than the alternative of walking alone to Cerulean, which she had _not_ been looking forward to. She had to admit, she felt safe with Gary, like she knew she could trust him even though she would never admit that.

Gary buckled his seatbelt as Misty got into the passenger seat, glad he had won this war. He glanced over at her as he started the car up. She sure wasn't like any other girl he knew; all they wanted was to be associated with him because of his fame and that of his family's. Sure, the media portrayed him to be a player and a 'ladies man' but the truth was, he had never been in love with any of those girls. It was all meaningless to him, meaningless talk, meaningless time, meaningless sex. There was no point to it all aside from there being no point. He was bored, and it was something to do. Misty, though, she _challenged _him, and he liked that.

* * *

They drove in silence for a while, a silence that was neither uncomfortable nor relaxed. Surprisingly, he handled the sports car without speeding. She felt his eyes on her every now and then, as though he were checking on her, and she figured it was just the tiredness talking, but she actually found it strangely comforting… Misty sort of liked being looked after. She had always been fiercely independent, strong, self-reliant, but to have someone take care of her for once was, she had to admit, nice. Though, she wondered over and over just why Gary was being so kind to her. He probably just felt sorry for her, she decided.

When they finally reached Route 3, Gary started to slow the car as they were flagged down by a man dressed in a fluoro orange traffic vest. He waved them to a stop, and Gary pulled the car up next to him.

"I'm sorry, folks, but this road is blocked."

"What?" Misty called from the other side. "But I've got to get to Cerulean City."

"You won't be able to get there tonight, kids," he explained. "This road has been flooded, we're working on sandbagging the area now but on my watch you won't be able to cross until morning."

"You've got to be kidding me," Misty groaned.

Gary smiled politely at the man, "Thank you, sir. We'll come back tomorrow."

The man nodded, and Gary reversed the car and turned it around.

"Where are we going?" Misty asked.

"Well," he explained casually, "obviously, we can't go to Cerulean tonight, so we'll have to come back tomorrow morning. You can stay with me in Pallet tonight."

"What? No!" she protested.

"Don't worry, Red. Our house is huge, my sister is away and grandpa will probably be working all night in the lab."

"You're not listening to me. I _can't_ go to Pallet."

"Why not?" he glanced over at her, confused.

"Deliah is there," she explained, her voice dropping as though she were in pain. "And Ash hasn't told her yet. I can't risk running into her and _pretending_ that I'm still dating her son."

Gary sighed. "You don't really have any other options."

"Just…leave me here. I'll camp out, and walk home in the morning."

"In the rain?" Gary signaled to the drops falling steadily onto the windscreen. "With no tent or camping gear?" he glanced at her small handbag.

"I told you I can take care of myself," Misty groaned stubbornly, "Don't you know I ran away from home when I was ten!"

Silence fell between them as Misty realised she had revealed something about herself that she hadn't wanted him to know. Without saying a word, he pulled the car over at the side of the road. There was nothing around them but the straight stretch of road leading forwards and backwards. The soft pitter-patter of the rain was the only sound audible, until he spoke.

"You ran away? Why?"

Misty hesitated, deciding whether to trust him with this part of her past.

"I wanted to prove that I could, because everyone said I couldn't," she said after a while.

"And that's when you ran into Ash?"

"Yes."

"Well…that explains it, then."

"Explains what?"

"Why you're so stubborn!"

"Oh? Care to enlighten me?" she said sarcastically, her forehead creased in annoyance.

"Everyone always doubts you, so you make it your mission to prove everyone wrong about everything. But what you don't realise is that most of the time, people are just trying to _help_. How does that sound?"

"It sounds like you think you know me, but you don't."

Gary chuckled, which only made her glare strengthen.

"Look, fine, we won't go to Pallet. But if you're staying, then I'm staying with you."

"Whatever!" she crossed her arms, turned away from him and leaned against the seat. She wasn't sure what it was about him that could make her turn from calm to angry, but he had this way of infuriating her. Needless to say, she felt more than strange about sleeping alone with him in his car, but the risk of going to Pallet Town was too great. Misty loved Deliah like a mother, and she knew she wouldn't be able to lie to her, or fool her for that matter.

* * *

After a few hours of moving around restlessly, trying to get comfortable, Misty gave up, deciding that no matter how tired she was, she probably wasn't going to sleep. She sat up and glanced over at Gary, who was snoring softly. Her agitation towards him faded slightly as she observed his face, peaceful and calm. Perhaps she was being too hard on him. After all, he was sleeping in his car with her, for her. She had actually expected him to leave her there and go. But he was definitely not the monster that he was made out to be…

Deciding that she needed some fresh air, Misty opened the door as quietly as she could. Gary was still sleeping as she walked away, wrapping her arms around herself as the cool air made her shiver. Clouds still hung low in the dark sky, but the rain had subsided for now. The lack of moonlight made Misty's walk a little difficult, but she eventually found her way into the forest, through the lush trees, until she found a small clearing. A river flowed in front of her, and she walked towards the rocky bank, soothed by the sound of the water.

Then she realised where she was.

The tears started flowing instantly, and her futile attempts to stop them were wasted. She sat down on the rocks and looked down into the river below. The water was dark and still, and the tide was fairly high, probably a result of the recent flooding. The last time she had been there was twelve years ago, and this had been the place where she had first met Ash.

The day seemed like yesterday to her, and yet it was so long ago. So much had happened, and so much had changed. This was where it had all started. If not for pulling Ash out of the river, and probably saving his life, she wondered where she would be now? Travelling with Ash and Brock were the best times of her life, when she had felt the most alive and happy and content with her world. But those times were long gone. And Ash was long gone. And where did that leave her?

'_Alone,' _she thought instantly. '_Alone again.'_

Misty felt herself start to shake, and not only from the cold. Everything she had been holding back started to surface, thoughts twisted around in her head, each one clashing with the other, like there was a Pokemon battle going on inside her mind. She thought of Ash, how much she had loved him, and how much it hurt her when they both realised that their relationship wasn't going to be forever. She had planned her life with him in her head, they would get married, have a family, and they would grow old together. That was a great dream, but the finer details had gotten in the way, and ruined what she had thought was her perfect life. Now, suddenly, she was left with nothing but lingering loneliness and fragmented memories of the life that was once hers, and it was breaking her apart like a wave of pain crashing over her. Misty put her head in her hands, trying to draw on her strength and will this sudden overcoming emotion away.

But she was lost, overwhelmed, afraid and uncertain about everything, and none of that was something she could just switch off.

She had thought that she would be okay. Misty was always okay. She got through whatever she had to, she was strong enough to deal with almost anything. But not this, not tonight. It was too much.

"Misty…" a small voice interrupted her thoughts, and she whipped around, embarrassedly wiping tears from her eyes.

She saw Gary, and then turned away, back towards the river. She didn't have the strength to be angry at him, so she said nothing as she listened to the sound of his footsteps coming towards her.

She felt a jacket envelop her shoulders, and she enjoyed the instant warmth it provided. As he sat beside her, light rain began to fall again.

"I woke up and you were gone. I was…" he trailed off hesitantly, and then said what he had been intending to say, "worried."

"I'm fine," she replied on impulse, not meeting his eyes.

"You don't look fine."

"Another analysis from the famous Gary Oak?" she spat.

He did not reply, just waited in the tense silence that hung between them. Misty sighed, knowing that her anger towards him was just born out of the frustration she felt at anybody seeing her cry. It meant that he knew she was not as strong as she pretended to be, and that her attitude was just a front for the lost girl behind it.

"This is where I met Ash," she admitted tentatively, glancing out to the river in front of her.

"Oh…"

"I had my whole life planned. I thought I knew where I was going, but now…everything has changed, and I don't know what I'm going to do now," a tear glistened as it trailed down her face, and Gary unexpectedly felt his heart break along with hers. He wasn't so great at offering words of comfort, like his grandfather he was more in tune with communicating with Pokemon than humans, but something about the way she spoke, and the way her eyes dodged his in an attempt to cover up her sadness, made him _want_ to figure out the words to say to make her feel better, to make her feel like everything was going to be okay.

"I spent twelve years loving the same person…and now he's just…gone," she finished, looking down and wiping her eyes of the tears that would not stop falling.

Guided by his emotions, he moved closer to the girl beside him. She did not move away as he expected her to, and so in a small gesture he put his arm around her. Misty froze suddenly, shocked at his unexpected touch. Once again, he had surprised her. She accepted his arm appreciatively, leaning into his embrace and hiding her face away so he couldn't see the slight flush in her cheeks. She couldn't describe why, but somehow…being in his arms made her heart race faster, made her mind scramble in a million different directions, and made her feel…safe. A few moments ago, she had felt like she was falling faster and faster, but now, with Gary's strong arm around her, she felt like she just might be okay.

"You know…in all my research there are still things that baffle me, things that can't be proven with science," he spoke softly, as Misty listened, her face still buried, hidden away from his.

"I have never been in love, so I don't know what it feels like to really lose someone you love, but I know that what you and Ash had was real, and it must be hard for you to accept that it's over…but…I also think that the only way to explain it is that everything happens for a reason. Maybe you're just destined for greater things, Misty."

Misty's eyes widened in awe of his beautiful words. She had never heard him speak so honestly, or with such sincerity. He spoke like he believed every word with all of his heart, and he said her name like it were fragile glass, and he was trying desperately to hold onto it, to stop it from falling. And, he had.

Misty finally dared to glance up at his eyes, which met hers instantly. There was an honesty within their green depths which both dazzled and baffled her. She felt something flicker inside of her, something she had felt before, a long time ago, but which had been lost, forgotten. Passion? …Love?

Then he smiled - a real smile, free of the conceited façade he normally wore. Gary Oak was not the arrogant moron she thought, or that he was made out to be. He was just like her, lost and trying to find his way in a world that had too many unexpected paths. He had hopes and dreams, just like her, and he felt emotion, just like her… Just like the raw emotion that surged through her as he pulled her in tighter, and their lips met in an astonishingly desirable kiss. Passion surged through her as she kissed him more deeply, more feverishly. He wrapped his other arm around her, pulling their bodies closer, as he leant into her gently, but with more desire than he knew he had. She moved her hands to run them through his mane of dark hair, longing for air but unable to pull herself away from him, to tear herself away from his lips, because it would mean the feeling would dissipate. She felt like she was burning inside, like she was on fire, and her erratic breathing only increased as his hands reached lower, wrapping themselves around her hips. She didn't protest when he leaned over her, and she kissed him with more fervor as she fell underneath him, unable to resist the way his hands reached down to caress the small of her back as his lips continued to play with hers. Misty had never felt burning like she did as he kissed her, as she felt his hands trace her body, she thought she might explode, she felt as though she had been charged by a thunderbolt from a…

Pikachu.

"Stop," she called gently, pushing up, shaking her head. Gary stopped, moving off of her as they breathed rapidly, trying to inhale their air they had lost during their frantic kissing. She would not meet his eyes as they sat in silence, silence that was tense and awkward.

Misty's mind was rushing, she was both excited and mortified by what had just happened. At the same time as she wanted to run away and never see Gary again, she wanted to be in his arms again, she wanted to feel his body close to hers again.

'_Damn, what the hell was that?'_

The only thing she could think to do, was run.

Gary watched as she walked quickly away, though the trees, leaving him sitting there, completely awestruck. It certainly had not been his intention to kiss her, but something had taken over him, and it was something he had never felt or experienced before. He had slept and made out with countless women, one more beautiful and appealing than the other, but he had never felt such, passion or desire, he had never _wanted_ anyone more than Misty…who had just run away.

She would probably never speak to him again.

'_Dammit.'

* * *

_

As he walked back towards the car, he tried to decipher the sudden feelings that were overcoming him. Was it just a physical attraction that he felt for Misty? No, it was more than that… It was more than anything he had ever felt for anybody, and it was _scaring _him. He had this desire to know everything about her, to look after her, to be with her… She was different – feisty and intelligent and full of attitude – but he _liked_ that. And not only that, she was beautiful, more beautiful than any of the plastic actresses he had dated, because she was real, natural.

Thankfully, Misty was sitting in the car when he got back. He had expected her to have run away, but she just sat staring forward, arms crossed and eyes signaling that she was in a place faraway. She didn't move or speak as he got in the car, glancing at her quickly, trying to get an indication of what she was thinking, but he got nothing. Gary checked the clock, it was almost 5 am. The sun would be up soon, and they would be able to cross the road to Cerulean City. He knew that neither of them were going to sleep now, so he started the engine, figuring that they might be able to cross now, and that it was worth a try.

They got back to Route 3, and Misty had said nothing. The air between them was tense and awkward. Gary had opened his mouth a few times in an attempt to speak to her, but closed it as he realised he didn't know what to say. He wasn't _used_ to girls rejecting him, or acting weird around him. They were always hanging off of him like leeches. But not Misty. He wondered whether she regretted what had happened. He certainly didn't.

The sun was starting to creep over the horizon, darkened by the clouds that still hung in the sky as they reached the sign that said 'Welcome to Cerulean City – Home of the Water Pokemon Gym.' He pulled up at said Gym a few minutes later. There was not a soul around; it was only 6 am after all.

"Misty-" Gary turned to her as she put her hand over the door handle. "Wait."

Thankfully, she did wait, turning back towards him.

"What is it?"

"We have to talk about this."

"About what?" her nonchalant behaviour was starting to frustrate him.

"About _us_."

"There _is _no us, Gary. What happened back there…was a mistake, nothing else," she spoke without much confidence, which he picked up on instantly. She was lying.

"It was _not_ a mistake," he demanded. "There is something between us, Misty, and I know you felt it too."

"You're imagining things," she looked away, her brow creased in frustration.

"No, I'm not," Gary lowered his voice and placed his hand over hers. "And neither are you."

Misty stayed silent, chewing on her lip nervously. Her stomach was doing crazy flip-flops, because she _knew_ what he was saying was _right_. She _had_ felt something, something so strong, she was afraid of it. She was blaming it on her tiredness but it had nothing to do with that. How could she deny the electricity that sizzled through her when he touched her, or the safety she felt in his arms, or that she was _completely_ attracted to him, physically, mentally, in every way possible…

He moved his hand to cup her chin, and gently turned her head to face him. She did not protest as he moved closer and kissed her softly, not ever wanting to pull away, but when he did, he searched her eyes for a sign, something to tell him she trusted him.

"This is real," he breathed. "And we both know it."

Misty shook herself from his grasp, breathing in, trying to calm the dizzying effect his kiss had on her.

"Come away with me," he said after a pause of silence.

"What?" she turned to him, shocked by his incredulous suggestion.

"I am going to the Whirl Islands to do some research on Water Pokemon," he explained. "Come with me."

"I can't just _leave_ the Gym again. I just got back."

"You're making excuses. Your sisters can look after the Gym. Live a little, Red. You need it."

Misty chewed on her lip, trying to think of every excuse _not_ to go, when really all she wanted to do was scream 'yes' and never look back. But that was not practical or responsible.

"Look…" he said, reaching into his backpack. He handed her a flyer, depicting the Whirl Islands. "This is where I'll be," he pointed to the resort on the flyer. "I leave in two days. If you change your mind, meet me there."

Misty held the flyer in her hand, glancing from it to Gary's calm features. She pursed her lips and turned, opening the door and getting out of the car. She pulled her bag out of the boot and walked to the Gym, glad to finally be home, but she had to admit, sad to be leaving Gary behind. She watched as he gave her a wave and a smile, his forehead creased slightly as he watched her for as long as he could before he had to turn his eyes to the road. Misty turned, unlocked the front door and slipped inside, closing the door and leaning against it, wondering how she had gotten herself into this mess.

* * *

The next few days passed slowly for Misty. As the news of her breakup with Ash spread, so did the endless phone calls from reporters. On the first day, they were camped on her front lawn and Daisy had to go out and yell at them and threaten to call Officer Jenny to make them leave. Misty had thought home was the best place for her, but it was soon becoming a nightmare where everywhere she turned there was someone wanting to ask questions that were just too personal. Her sisters were supportive, giving advice and giving her some space, as well as fending off the media. Brock had called too, and she had spent hours on the phone with her older brother figure. Brock always knew what to say, and he always made her feel better about things, even if he was Ash's friend too.

The papers and magazines were littered with stories about _why_ they had broken up – Ash was seeing other women and cheating on her, Misty was too hard to handle, every lie in the world but not one truth. Misty didn't care. It didn't matter what everyone else thought, she had never cared about what people thought about her and she wasn't about to start. What had transpired between her and Ash was their business, and their business alone.

But what invaded Misty's thoughts most over those days was not the pain of her breakup or the reporters or the lies – it was Gary. She couldn't stop thinking about him, about the way he spoke or his intense green eyes, or the way he made her feel… The feelings were so strong that no matter what she did to try to distract herself from them, she couldn't stop them from taking over her. She was completely perplexed about every thought that crossed her mind. Where had these feelings come and what did they mean for her? Surely, she couldn't enter a relationship with Gary Oak. He was everything she hated about people – self-righteous, conceited, snobby, over-confident and he had a head bigger than a Rhydon's. But, on the other hand, she had seen a different side to him, a person that was caring, loving, intelligent and just plain misunderstood. Why did he hide that part of himself from the world, yet he let Misty see it?

As the days passed, Misty glanced continually at the flyer that she had placed carelessly atop her dresser. She was about to throw it out when something stopped her. Perhaps deep down she knew that a few days later she would pick it up, along with her suitcase, and leave Cerulean City and the Gym behind. She didn't tell her sisters who she was going to meet, just that she needed some time away from the stress of the media constantly chasing her. They understood, and were gracious enough to look after the Gym for her.

* * *

Misty took a boat to the Whirl Islands, which took two days. All the way she contemplated what she was doing, how she could be leaving her life behind simply based on a feeling that she wasn't even sure was real. But something had made her leave, and she had to admit she felt nervous and excited at the prospect of seeing Gary again. No matter how much she tried to convince herself that her attraction to him was _not_ real, he would not leave her mind. She thought about him, she dreamt about him, her whole life had become about him. She was distracted and afraid and it was starting to get to her. If she didn't go and find out for sure, she was sure she would be driven crazy by her emotions.

The weather in the Whirl Islands was always sunny and warm, and Misty basked in the sunlight as she stepped off of the boat in her denim cutoffs and a red tank top. Even if things didn't work out with Gary, she was glad she was there, for the sand under her feet and the crashing waves on the beautiful beach were enough to make the trip worth it for her. Though millions of thoughts still invaded her mind, she felt relaxed, at ease. Misty couldn't remember that last time she had taken a holiday. The only time she left the Gym was to see Ash, and that was always either at the Indigo Plateau, Mount Silver or Lily of the Valley Island – never the beach.

Misty found the hotel from the pamphlet fairly easily, and as she stood in the lobby, the realisation of what she was doing finally sunk in. Her stomach was in knots, so much so that she thought she might throw up. She had never felt so nervous in her life. Was this how you were _supposed_ to feel when you were in love? She had certainly never felt this way around Ash.

"Hi, I am looking for a Mr Gary Oak," she said to the young man at the counter. He appeared not to recognize her, for which she was glad.

"Yes, Mr Oak is staying here, but I think he's out at the moment."

"Oh…do you know where?"

"The underwater cavern on the North Beach is my bet," he explained. "He said something about a redhead coming to find him…and he said to tell you he would be there. I'm guessing you're her?"

Misty was astounded. Just how confident _was_ he that she was going to turn up? She questioned herself instantly.

'_What am I doing here…?'_

"Th-thanks," she smiled uneasily at the man and turned, grabbing the map he had given her and locating the underwater cavern. It wasn't too far from the hotel.

During the walk to find him, Misty stopped and walked back countless times. Each time, she didn't know what was inching her forward, but it wasn't her sensible side. Everything told her not to go, and yet she kept walking.

The underwater cavern was dark and beautiful. Located just off the North Beach, it was a giant rock formation that twisted underground. A beautiful, calm silence greeted Misty as took off her flip-flops, stepped into the cool water and walked into the growing darkness. She wondered how far it went. Would she need a flashlight? It continued to get darker, and then, out of nowhere, she saw him.

He was sitting on one of the rocks, surrounded by a school of Corsola who were playing and splashing along with him. The vibrant smile he wore lit up his entire face. Misty had never seen him so happy, so at ease. A few moments later, he noticed her standing there. As he glanced up at her, she froze. She had found him, this was what she was here for, and yet, she could not find the will to move. Her feet were locked into the cool water, her arms clinging onto the rock she stood beside.

"I knew you wouldn't be able to resist me," he joked, which normally would have infuriated Misty, except that it was actually the truth.

"I don't know why I'm here," she blurted out suddenly, not even thinking before the words left her mouth.

Gary stood and made his way over to her. She watched him cautiously, ready to run at any moment, ready to realise that she was just being stupid and that there was no way she could be attracted to this egotistical, conceited boy.

But she said and did nothing, as he made his way over to her, took her hands in his and kissed her with that same burning passion they had felt a few nights ago in Kanto.

He pulled back, and started into her eyes, coated with fear and uncertainty. He only smiled.

"That's why," he said, and he wrapped his arms around her as he kissed her again.

* * *

The End

* * *

Wow, that was my first Egoshipping story, and I must say, it was very fun to write. I even have ideas for another one. I would love to hear what you guys thought of this, so I would really appreciate it if you could leave me a little review. :)

Until next time,

KCB


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